Beautiful, easy-to-grow cultivars. For centuries, adventurous botanists risked their lives to gather exquisite specimens from remote, perilous locations. Fortunes were spent shipping the lilies back to royalty and collectors who treasured them. Lilies gained a reputation with gardeners for being difficult plants: fussy, sulky, prone to a lingering death. This characterization, thankfully, is coming to an end. Today, new hybrids make growing lilies easier than ever. Advances in hybridization over the past 50 years have revolutionized how gardeners grow lilies. These new hybrids -- many created right here in North America -- are greatly improved in health, beauty and stamina. Lilies introduces gardeners to these new cultivars that have captured the hearts and imagination of gardeners worldwide. The enormous diversity of these lily varieties is described in detail. The dazzling color photographs of lilies in full bloom help gardeners first to choose and then raise the cultivars best suited to their garden and climate. This book features: The lily's storied history that predates the pharaohs An extensive directory of lilies, complete with detailed growing instructions Instructions for growing lilies in cold climates Suggestions for dealing with bugs and pests A propagation guide Gardeners love lilies but are often hesitant about growing them. This book makes cultivating lilies easy. Read Less